Tub of Butter
by Rockleerox93
Summary: Despite being classified with cooler high schoolers, he still hangs out with the simplest person he knows. His buddy, Chouji. But it isn't fair...Why did that girl like his friend anyway? Chouji was his only. AU. Hurt/Comfort/Friendship. Some Romance. ShikaChou, some GaaLee.


_~Tub of Butter~_

Perched on the brick-casing of the rooftop was a feathered creature with beady eyes. It stared at the Nara, completely estranged and mesmerized with the boy's features. Said boy glared at the bird and snarled. He took a long drag on his cigarette, the tip of the white paper curling into black ash, and blew grey into the creature's beaked-face. The bird squawked nosily and flapped its wings about before heading to the sky and gliding away. The boy dropped his cancer stick and stomped it out, yawning as he did so.

"Stupid crow..."he murmured sleepily.

The past few nights had been rough for Shikamaru.

He didn't know what the cause of his dreams were, but he was willing to bet that he had either been worried unconsciously or delirious when he had them. In each dream, his long-time friend, Chouji, was there. Said friend was a stout guy with a height of 5'6 and was...well...kind of fat. Not 'fat' as in 'too fat', but 'fat' as in 'kiddy-fat'. It was amazing that Chouji never lost his baby fat, but at the same time, it wasn't like the guy ever tried getting rid of it. Chouji snacked all through the day-chips-cookies-popcorn-any bagged item loaded with carbs and sugars that was considered anything but dietary to the average female. But-it wasn't like Shikamaru had a problem with his friend's weight. He really didn't. Chouji had been a thick kid, even in the second grade he had been two times the weight of the average 7 year-old. There was never a time when the boy was thin. And if Chouji ever decided to go on a diet...

Shikamaru rubbed at his temples and sighed. It was his lunch period, but he wasn't hungry. He was on the roof because he needed to clear his head...and despite the cool Autumn breeze on his cheeks and the thick scent of nicotine in his nose...he couldn't get the scrawny image of Chouji out of his mind.

Chouji, the boy Shikamaru had always known to be chunky, had appeared so thin in the dreams that he didn't even look right...

Chouji's normally ruddy cheeks with the tattooed spirals had hugged his cheekbone like glue. His rounded shoulders and neck had been knobby...Even his wild hair of chocolate was thin and tired. The rest of the boy in Shikamaru's dream-

Shikamaru pulled out another cigarette.

"Chouji's _fine_."

The Nara wasn't one to worry-in fact-he was too lazy a person to even consider 'concern' a serious emotion.

But then again-he wasn't his usual calm-and-collected self.

To Shikamaru, the dream was too realistic to even consider dismissing. And to top off his worry, Chouji was late. Their chill time was always spent on the roof during off periods-and that included lunch. The only times where Chouji was late to their meeting spot was when something he really liked was being offered on the menu in the cafeteria-but Shikamaru checked the lunch schedule earlier that day-and no such item was being prepared. It was Nacho Thursday, and Chouji himself had even said 'They're nothing but corn chips with Velveeta on it,' something the boy considered un-fulfilling since he constantly snacked on chips anyway.

Looking at his sport watch, he noticed that the fifteen minute break was almost up-in three minutes to be exact. Shikamaru's eyebrows scrunched, creating a wrinkle in his forehead.

"Where the hell is he?"

And just as the last thirty seconds were ticking away, the creaking of the roof door sounded. The door had fingers around its frame, and then, a pudgy face poked out from behind it. The grin on the round face was sheepish.

"Hey, Shika…sorry for being late." Came the shaky reply. When Chouji was guilty of something, his voice wasn't as loud or solid as usual, and having noticed this feature, Shikamaru narrowed his eyes with suspicion.

"Times up…we should head back to class." Came the boy's shaky response. Shikamaru shook his head and waved his half-wilted cigarette.

"Nah. I'm going to skip."

Chouji blinked, "_Skip_?"

"Well…it's not like cigarettes are cheap. I just started this piece." Frowning, Shikamaru took another drag on his cancer stick. He blew it out in Chouji's face, but said boy did not cough. He was used to Shikamaru's mood swings.

"Why were you late?" Shikamaru asked, being careful to keep his voice dull. Shikamaru didn't want to yell, and he didn't want to sound annoyed-even though he wanted to. Shikamaru treasured his nonchalant appearance, and he knew that Chouji respected him because of it. Everyone did.

There was a time when a sophomore named Yuuya got fed up with his bored attitude, but Shikamaru had only shrugged and said he didn't care what he or anyone else thought of him. Yuuya tried to strike him, but Shikamaru side-stepped him. The boy had fumbled but threw out another punch, yet again, Shikamaru caught Yuuya's arm, twisted it, locked the boy's elbow in place, and pushed him so hard he landed on his bottom with a bounce. Even though Shikamaru was the victor, he hadn't smiled or said anything too cocky. He only shrugged and told the boy the same thing he'd been saying to people since the second grade: "How bothersome."

Since then, he had been noticed by a different crowd of people. A crowd of people that didn't involve themselves with Chouji.

Girls who giggled and had 'above-average' features talked to him. Guys who played sports and had parties invited him to their lunch tables. His popularity was bound to happen though, fight or no fight. This was due to Shikamaru's natural ability to draw people to him because of his cool demeanor and relaxed way of talking. He just wasn't your average high school Senior-the typical kind with too much drama-socializing problems-or a big ego. He was just himself…

But the fact that he was easy on the eyes helped a lot too.

Even though some would call him average, Shikamaru was a lean guy who stood at a height of 5'10. He had an apricot skin complexion, a long torso and even longer legs. His build suggested that he played sports (which, he didn't). His hair was the color of charred wood and, if it wasn't always in a high ponytail, it would sit on his shoulders. His eyes were a smoky black, just like the ash from his cigarettes. With those eyes, he stared at Chouji impatiently.

"I have a good reason, so can I skip with you and talk about it?" asked Chouji. Shikamaru turned away from the chubby boy and shrugged. With a smirk hidden from his friend he said, "I don't care."

And just like that, the boy was by his side. A pop of plastic, and a crunch of carbs. He was all smiles.

"You know Enri? She was talking to me today…"

Shikamaru gave his friend a look, but Chouji was serious. The pink of his blush made the spirals on his cheeks light up.

He lifted a brow with a, "Hn." This encouraged Chouji to talk.

"She has the same culinary class as me. We even have the same interest in foods! Like, I can talk about how Italian Swiss cheese can make a bacon burger taste better, and she doesn't look at me cross-eyed. She's really nice, Shikamaru…" The boy was grinning so wide, that all his front teeth were showing. Shikamaru shrugged.

"So? You gonna date her, or something gross like that?"

Chouji chuckled and gave his grumpy friend a rough pat on the back.

"I'd like to date her…but I don't know how to talk to girls-you know-without mentioning food."

Shikamaru inwardly nodded at that. There was a time in middle school where Chouji had confessed his love to a seventh grader named Ino by saying something romantic along the lines of, "Me and you go together like butter goes to popcorn." Well-it was something like that. Either way, she had blinked and asked him if he was joking. Chouji had laughed it off and said he was playing, and Ino laughed with him, saying how funny he was. After that, Chouji kept his confessions on notes, never sending them off to their designated crushes.

Again, the Nara gave another nonchalant, "Hn."

Chouji was silent for a few seconds before he looked to his tall friend with a question in his stare.

"Hey buddy…your ears are turning pink." Shikamaru reached out to brush a finger along the curve of Chouji's left ear, but the big guy moved out of the way-ducking rather-to reach in his pack for another bag of chips-totally unaware of Shikamaru's action. Quickly, the Nara retracted his hand before Chouji sat back up with his new bag of Doritos.

"Shika?"

"…?"

"What's it like? To date? You've dated right?"

Shikamaru didn't choke or cough-even though that's the kind of reaction anyone else would have had-but Shikamaru's heart was beating fast. He was anxious, but at the same time, disturbed.

"It's okay. Girls are nice to have for a while…but they get really clingy. After talking and stuff, their conversations start turning into the media-and quickly after that-when they notice you're not really listening to them-they get emotional and ask things…"

Oh…He was ranting. He never ranted to anyone other than Chouji. But…this was the first time he had ever really gotten to explain how he felt about all the relationships he'd been in. How he felt about them was kind of bitter…but the question from Chouji was making him edgy-was making him disturbed. What the hell? Just why did the guy want a girl anyway? They were _friends. _Bro's before those. Right?

All Shikamaru wanted to do was lay the negatives out for his friend. He wasn't doing it to be mean to Chouji-in fact-he was too honest a guy to do something that methodical. But…his reason was petty enough-he just didn't want Chouji to get a girl. He liked having the guy as his honest, sort-of-gullible, _single _best friend. Chouji didn't need Enri. Wasn't the guy already happy being his buddy?

"Sometimes they want to go to other heights in the relationship because they think that's what's going to keep me by their side. But after becoming intimate-I always come to the same realization: That the girl I'm with was cute when I had a crush on her. But after getting completely comfortable with her, the relationship becomes stupid and dull." Shikamaru sighed and threw his wilted cigarette over the roof's brick-railing. He and Chouji stared after the cancer stick, watching until it became nothing with the below.

And then, "Well…maybe you haven't had a strong passion for a girl, Shika. I mean…you don't ever seem to care who you're with, or even consider how the other person feels about you. You can't just 'like' a girl, and do things that lovers do, if you're not in 'love' with them. You're just going to break hearts…and that's all you've been doing."

Shikamaru gave Chouji a blank look. Since when did he get clinical?

His usual monotone voice went down an octave-not enough to sound angry-but definitely enough to sound annoyed.

"Look. I've had more girls than you. I think I know what I'm talking about, okay. And that's a lot coming from someone who doesn't know anything. Do your research before judging me." Shikamaru, having noticed the looseness of his friend's face, knew that he had over stepped his boundaries. He had hurt Chouji's feelings.

Blinking twice, he looked away from Chouji and shrugged-but his shoulders were slightly-ever so slightly-quivering.

"I'm not going to stop you. Go ahead and ask Enri out if you want. She might say yes…or no…doesn't matter."

Chouji was still for a moment, and then bowed his head the slighted bit. Almost as if embarrassed. Or maybe ashamed. Shikamaru wasn't sure which, for he was looking off to the side of the roof. The only image he was getting was a fuzzy one in his peripheral vision of Chouji.

"I will then. No thanks to you." Chouji stuffed his Doritos in his pack quickly, all the while moving to the roof door with his back to Shikamaru.

"Later." He murmured before disappearing behind the door. And then it clicked shut. Shikamaru exhaled-almost shakily-before he grabbed onto the brick railing of the roof. He looked out at the dimming sky and closed his eyes against the evening colors.

"…I'm an idiot…"

o0o

o0o

o0o

Enri was a petite girl who was short-shorter than Chouji actually. She had a layered bob that was amber, with a swoop bang in the front that complimented her heart-shaped face. Her skin was a creamy beige with different tints of brown speckling her cheeks. Her lips were a natural pink and her eyes were a deep emerald. She was really cute. Strange. A girl like Enri was interested in a guy like Chouji?

She was carting away library books-a library aid probably. Shikamaru tucked his hands into his pockets and smoothly approached said girl. Good. It was 4th period, and Chouji's next period with her was an hour away. That was enough time to get what he wanted out of her.

"I like that book…the one based off the Brother's Grimm, right?" Shikamaru said, picking up said novel from the cart Enri had been wheeling. She blushed.

"Oh…yeah. You've read the _Witch's Boy_? I thought I was one of the few…it's only been checked out six times you know." She stammered. Tucking a loose hair behind her ear, she smiled, biting her bottom lip.

She was really cute…too cute to fall for Chouji. How _strange_.

"Yeah. The reader doesn't know that the main character is Rumple Steal Skin until the middle-end." Coolly, he quirked his lip the slightest bit.

"I think I might want to check it out again. You know-get my facts straight?"

She giggled, "Yeah, no problem. I'll check it out for you in a second-"

Leaning his arm against a bookcase, he was nose-to-forehead with Enri. With his shoulder beside her head, he whispered against her cheek, "What do you want with Chouji? You really like him?"

Smiling, she shrugged, "Mmm…he's sweet. Likes making cakes and cookies for me in culinary class. A real teddy bear."

There it was again. The talk about Chouji…but why was it so disturbing for him to listen to? This girl…she couldn't like Chouji. Not honestly. She had other intentions…

It was just like he predicted. Women were too predictable.

Shikamaru's grin grew mischievous, "Yeah? If that's what you like…then perhaps you're not interested in checking me out?"

Again, she blushed-but it wasn't the innocent kind. Enri wasn't new to flirting or dating-that much Shikamaru knew.

"Well…no one said I was dating him." she cooed, placing her hand against his cheek.

Shikamaru inwardly frowned.

"I guess that's good news for me."

"Yeah?" she giggled.

"Yeah."

Hidden by the bookcases, they let their skin meet-lipwise.

o0o

o0o

o0o

Opening the door to the rooftop, he narrowed his eyes, creating a wrinkle between his brows. A familiar figure was perched in his spot against the railing. He knew who the guy was-with that unruly wine-red due and pale skin. Said boy was lean and fit-not bulky or anything-just fit. He was as pale as bone, and the most noteworthy thing about him was the smoky rings around his eyes-an insomniac probably-and the scar above his left eye that read 'Love' in Kanji. The guy was unique if anything, but Shikamaru had heard a few girls call the boy 'handsome', but in an artistic kind of way-meaning that they liked the guy enough to date-but preferred to like him from a distance because he was like a framed masterpiece. Something a person looked at when they passed it by-not really wanting it in their house-but finding it appealing enough to watch every time they passed it by.

"I've never seen you up here before, Gaara."

Said boy looked over his shoulder and spotted Shikamaru. He quirked an invisible brow and shrugged.

"Yeah? Well now you have."

Sighing, Shikamaru placed a hand on his hip, "Look. I'm waiting on someone, okay? You mind leaving?"

"Yes I mind. I'm waiting for someone too."

Shikamaru blinked at the fast reply. If there was anything he envied, it was Gaara's bluntness. The way the redhead could chop up logic was something to behold. But now was not the time to admire.

"Who would that be?" He asked, walking up to the brick-railing to meet the guy face to face-or rather-nose to hair. The guy was pretty short.

"…a friend…," Gaara murmured, "Lee."

Shikamaru blinked. Lee was a Senior just like him-but more spiritually involved with the school. He attended two clubs-tennis and soccer-and always had energy to spare afterwards. The fact that Lee, an over joyous and energetic boy, was being waited on by a blunt jerk like Gaara was a mystery in itself. It didn't even seem like they'd be put in the same sentence together-what with Gaara's artistic charm-and Lee's…Lee-ness-with that ebony bowl-cut, fish eyes, and full lips…

It just didn't seem likely-Gaara and Lee.

But then again…

He and Chouji were friends.

Wasn't that just as unlikely?

"What for? Is this your off period or something?" Shikamaru asked, mildly interested in Gaara's situation. Why not ask questions? He had forty minutes to spare until Chouji's class was over.

"No. I'm skipping Calculus…but Lee gets out of History in ten minutes so…just thought I'd wait for him is all."

Something about his story was strange. Shikamaru's lip twitched into a smile-but only for a second. Gaara's neck was blushing. In fact, when he said Lee's name, his voice-if just a tad bit-had become softer-and the sharpness of his stare smoother. It was the way girl's said the names of their boyfriends or crushes or…Shikamaru couldn't help but smile for real.

"That's not natural. You know, to like a guy, I mean."

Gaara gave Shikamaru a blank stare. As blunt as ever it seemed. The response Shikamaru anticipated was one of silence and staring-but what he got from Gaara was something interesting. Almost admirable-almost annoying.

A stale, "Deal with it." was Gaara's response. Quick and to the point. Shikamaru grinned.

"What's so special about him?"

Gaara narrowed his jade eyes at the Nara, and then, he was calm. Too calm actually.

"He's not special, I hate him."

_Huh_?

"But I like him, too."

_Huh_?

"Well…I guess I hate myself for liking someone like him. I can do better-really-but I want him. Like-I want to f-"

_Ohh_-!

"Okay, please stop." With his hands up, Shikamaru gave a pretend surrender-halfway joking-halfway scared. He never really spoke to Gaara other than in his advanced classes when discussing problems and such, but this kind of conversation was too close for comfort. Perhaps Gaara didn't understand what privacy meant, or that 'keeping secrets' was a good thing to do sometimes.

Gaara blinked a few times, confused at Shikamaru's reaction. Probably.

"Look…I'll just leave. Have…fun…or whatever." Shikamaru, not really knowing whether to wave good-bye or walk away, coolly nodded his head once and went back to the roof door. He'd just have to wait outside Chouji's culinary classroom. Opening the door-he walked down a step, closed it, and then proceeded to take a few more steps, but then an odd character was approaching him. Fast. Who [i]jogs[/i] up the stairs anyway? Coming to a stop in front of him was an energetic Lee.

"Oi! Sorry, Shikamaru! I am in a bit of a rush." the boy all but breathed the words through a smile.

Shaking his head, Shikamaru pointed to the roof door with a thumb, "Uh…you may not want to go up there right now. That Gaara guy is waiting for you like a creep."

Lee only smiled wider and shook his head, panting, "Oh, but I cannot be late. Not ever! And Gaara may be a little scary at first, but he's a good friend."

"Yeah…well, I don't think he sees you as just a friend, Lee. You might just want to stand him up this time. He'll understand."

Lee laughed despite the fact that Shikamaru was being serious.

"Yes, yes. I have heard that one before."

_Huh_?

"But I have to be honest with my feelings. I called him to the roof a few times before only to fail at what I wanted to say. But not this time. I want him to know how I feel! For real this time!"

_Huh_?

"I do not like him very much-but at the same time-I like him very much!"

_Not this shit again._

Shikamaru put his hand on Lee's shoulder roughly, "You're going to be late if you talk to me any longer."

With an enthusiastic nod, Lee ran up the few steps and pushed open the roof door, shouting behind him a 'Thanks' to the Nara. Quickly, Shikamaru descended the stairs before his ears could pick up anything disturbing.

o0o

o0o

o0o

The art hallway was always the least busy, and at the moment-there were no passerbys. But something round and familiar was sitting beside the ceramic display case. Eating chips. Shikamaru placed a hand over his mouth, trying to stop himself from laughing outright. Swallowing his jokes, he tip-toed behind the round guy and brought a foot up and bopped him on the bottom. Chouji jumped slightly, making his chips rattle. With an annoyed, "Hey man! Watch it! I'm not in the mood to joke around okay..?" The last sentence had a tinge of sadness in it-almost like a sob. Shikamaru blinked at his friend. The big guy was really upset.

"Wanna talk about it, Chou?" Shikamaru took a seat beside his friend, leaving a good two feet of space between them. He was a bit surprised at himself. How long has it been since he called Chouji, Chou? That was his elementary nickname. After a silent moment, Chouji stretched his hand out, offering his bag of Lays to the Nara. Shikamaru knew that refusing the snack was out of the question. He took it and chewed on Sour Cream & Onion quietly.

And then, "I'd been working on this miniature cake…with the sugar frosting that covers it like a sheet of color? I finished it today-but when I gave it to Enri she had smiled and shook her head at it. Said she liked someone else and that she couldn't take my gift…" Chouji sniffed hard, "I didn't even tell her I liked her or anything. She just flat out told me to give up-like I was never in the running for her heart." With his chin tucked into his chest, he bit his lip hard and sucked up what sounded like a choked cry.

With his elbows atop his knees, and his hands folded together, Shikamaru placed his forehead on his arms.

He was just hurting his friend's feelings…he was such an idiot.

Chouji didn't just have a crush on Enri. He really loved her.

Shikamaru gripped the sides of his knees hard and cursed mentally to himself.

"Shika…"

"…?"

Chouji had a hand over his eyes. A tear cascaded over a spiraled cheek, and then over a crumbling smile.

"I'm glad we're friends…you don't throw me away, even when I do something stupid."

Oh…Shikamaru was starting to get a pain in his chest. He bobbed his knee impatiently. He couldn't help it…it was a habit he'd developed in middle school, but he hadn't done it since freshman year. He was nervous. He was guilty. He was sad.

He really didn't deserve Chouji's grace. The guy was just too honest…too _soft_ for his own good.

" …Well, forget her then. 'Like' is just a stupid word…I don't need to tell you that I 'like' you. You already know I do, right Chou?"

A choked laugh escaped the round boy, "Ahah…! We're buds. Yeah. Like is stupid."

Shikamaru smiled.

"See? Who needs it? I 'like' you? I could say something completely different, and you'd still get the memo right?"

Chouji looked at Shikamaru, eyes glassy and nose running.

"…I don't get it."

"Chou?"

"…?"

"I cake you."

Blinking, and then blinking again, Chouji laughed. Really laughed.

"You're crazy, Shika! I chip you too."

Shikamaru couldn't help but chuckle himself. He was never entertained with anyone other than Chouji. He didn't laugh or joke or anything with other people. He just didn't care about them the way he did Chouji. The Nara smiled at Chouji and joined the game.

"I banana you."

"Hahah! I bread you, man!"

"I breath you."

"…whoa…hahaha…I breath you, too?"

"I feel you. I beat you. I live you. I ache you."

Shikamaru didn't look at Chouji when he said it. He looked off at the artworks in front of him. Something was lifting inside of him, and it was strange. The beating in his chest was making his insides sore and he didn't know why. It just hurt. And after saying what he had, he couldn't face rejection from Chouji. So he looked at the art-waiting to hear Chouji get up and leave…or just breathe. If Chouji didn't respond in the next few minutes, then he would take himself elsewhere. The silence was sharp in the gap between them. Shikamaru could hear his heart thumping…it was too loud. Curiously, he wondered if Chouji could hear it too.

"…You're like the cheese powder to my Cheetos, Shika."

It was like hearing glass fall, but instead of the sharp crash, there was a 'bump' noise. A pillow catch.

Shikamaru couldn't help but feel refreshed. He was so giddy with glee, he smiled wide.

"…You're like the butter to my popcorn, Chou."

There was silence…and then an uproar of laughter.

"I'm…not joking…Shika..!"Chouji said in between bouts of 'bwah-hah-hahs'. "Cheetos…are nothing without…the cheese powder..!"

After a few snorts, Shikamaru gave a laughing response, "And popcorn…is nothing…without… butter!"

And then-more laughter. They couldn't help it. The tension in the air was gone. So completely free that is was making them high. Shikamaru decided that he liked it this way. The relationship between them. He wasn't sure if their friendship had gone to the next level, but if anything, he had saved Chouji from sadness, and that was all he really wanted to do. But the fact still remained. He loved his big, honest, gullible friend.

Maybe he'd tell Chouji how he really felt. The real 'three' words of affection.

But…that could wait.

He was happy for now.


End file.
